


Cinderella

by TDKeh16



Series: Tumblr Fics and Prompts [23]
Category: Check Please! (Webcomic)
Genre: Alternate Universe, Bad Pick-Up Lines, Blind Date, Derek "Nursey" Nurse is Unchill, First Meetings, M/M, Meet-Cute, Stood up on a date
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-09-14
Updated: 2016-09-14
Packaged: 2018-08-14 22:43:09
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,634
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8031799
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/TDKeh16/pseuds/TDKeh16
Summary: When William Poindexter is stood up for a blind date that he didn't want to go on in the first place, he's not surprised. When a handsome stranger sits down at his table, however, his night does take a surprising turn.





	Cinderella

**Author's Note:**

> From the prompt: "Imagine person A of your otp is waiting at a restaurant for their date and is obviously being stood up and person B notices this, just before person A gets sick of waiting and gets up to leave person B sits with them, and even though they aren’t who person A was waiting for they end up having a lot of fun and hooking up."
> 
> Imagine Dex and Nursey are about 25-ish in this AU.

"Hey, you come here often?"

William Poindexter looked up from his glass of wine to find a handsome man with light brown skin and dark, curly hair grinning down at him. "Pardon me?" He glanced around the half-empty restaurant. The man was well dressed, but his outfit did not seem to match the staff. "Um, do you work here, or...?"

"What? No!" He laughed.

"Okay... So... Why are you talking to me...?"  
  
"My name is Derek, and I don't think your date is showing up." Derek Nurse pulled out the chair at the opposite end of the table and took a seat, uninvited.

Dex frowned. Yeah, me neither. Whatever," he sighed. "I didn't even want to go on this stupid date anyway. My aunt set me up with one of my cousins' friends. I only agreed so that she would stop sending me pictures."

"Is she cute?" Nursey picked up the open bottle of wine on the table and poured some for himself, then topped off Dex's glass.

Dex shrugged. "Yeah, I guess."

Nursey bit his bottom lip in a failed attempt to supress his grin. "But you weren't interested?"

"I don't need to offer any explanation to the stranger inviting himself to my wine..."

"It's better than drinking alone, right? Besides, _I'm_ not the stranger here. I introduced myself, yet _you_ remain nameless... So who's the rude one here, really? I'm just trying to keep you company..."

"Why?"

"Because I think you're really cute and I've been watching you from the bar for the past 45 minutes trying to work up the courage to make it this far. Humour me."

"You... _What?_ "

Nursey laughed. "You heard me. Trying to fish for another compliment? Tsk." He shook his head with mock disapproval.

Dex raised an eyebrow and sipped his wine. "You don't seem like the kind of person who needs 'work up' your confidence..."

"I may have _slightly_ exaggerated..." He grinned. "But only slightly. It took me more than usual, I assure you. I really don't make a habit out of approaching hot guys in random restaurants."

Dex felt his face start to burn. Shit. He was blushing. Even his ears felt warm. " _Hot?_ Look, dude, this night has been humiliating enough. I don't need a guy like _you_ rubbing salt in that wound, okay? Please leave me alone."

"Guy like me? Wait--" Nursey reached across the table and touched Dex's arm. "Do you find me attractive?"

Dex pulled his arm back and took another sip of his wine, hoping he could blame the flush of his face on the red wine. "If you're just trying to back me into a corner and say something that you can use against me--"

"No! No, I swear. I... Do you _seriously_ not realize how hot you are, dude? Are you one of those weirdos who refuses to keep mirrors in his house or something?"

Dex scowled at him. " **No**."

"Shit. I'm totally blowing this," Nursey grew flustered when Dex pushed his chair back away from the table. "Stay, please. We can finish the wine, have a nice meal... My treat. No strings attached, I promise. Please."

Dex's brow furrowed with worry. Part of him wanted to stay, even though it was against his better judgement. There was no reason he could think of as to why this attractive man would want to buy him dinner, still... "No catch?"

"Well, a _small_ one."

"I knew it. What?"

Nursey smiled, and Dex's heartbeat definitely did not skip a beat. "If you enjoy yourself tonight, you have to give me your number." 

"And if I _don't?_ "

"If not, then nothing. You're free to go. What else could I do?" Nursey chucked.

"That's all? One meal in this nice restaurant that is way out of my budget, and then I never have to see you again if I don't want to? A simple 'catch and release' date?"

"Yeah."

"Deal."

Nursey let out a happy sigh and leaned back in his chair. "So, you're not objecting at all to this date with another man?"

" _Well_..."

"So _that's_ the reason you didn't mind being stood up by a cute girl." He laughed and raised his glass with a wink. "Lucky me."

"I haven't agreed to give you my number, yet..." Dex peered up from his menu.

"True. You also haven't told me your name yet, either..."

"That _is_ true..."

"You're still not going to tell me?"

"We'll see how tonight goes, first. You have until midnight to impress me. Do that, and I'll give you my name and my number."

Nursey was intrigued. "What happens after midnight? Does your fairy godmother turn your car back into a pumpkin?"

"Nice try. I took the bus," Dex said with a grin. They paused their banter as the server came by to take their orders, then continued chatting throughout their meal.

"You know," Nursey piped up as they finished eating. "You said I have until midnight, but this restaurant closes at 10:00..."

"I know." Dex sipped his glass from their second bottle of wine. "I hope you have an idea in mind to keep me entertained for the next two hours..."

"Uh, well..."

Dex was feeling bold after nearly an entire bottle of wine to himself. He loved seeing the handsome man across from him, originally dripping with confidence, grow flustered. "You said you lived nearby, right?"

Nursey gulped. "Y-yeah."

Shit. He was too handsome. Dex could not remember the last time he wanted someone this badly. "I'm sure we could find something to do back at your place."

Nursey stood up so fast that his chair nearly tumbled over. "I-- uh. I'll go pay the bill. Don't leave." he took a couple deep breaths as he approached their server at a till by the bar. "Hey, can I just settle the bill here? Turns out we're kind of in a hurry..."

The server, a petit blond man grinned knowingly and quickly tallied what he owed. "Thank you, sir. Have a safe night."

Nursey blushed lightly and turned back to the table, but the handsome redhead he had been sitting with was gone. "Wha...?"

The server patted his shoulder. "Breathe, hun. He's waiting by the door."

"Oh thank god..." Nursey sighed with relief. He tried to look cool and composed as he approached his mysterious date once more, but stumbled on the rug in the entrance way. Damn it. He was supposed to be impressive tonight, yet here he was, losing all his chill. Nursey was being thrown completely off-balance by the man before him. "Hey."

Dex smirked. Okay, this apparently clumsy guy was pretty adorable, and nice, and hot... And okay time to grab a cab right now. "Ready?"

"Yeah." Nursey flagged down the first taxi that passed and soon they were kissing in the stairwell of his apartment building while he fumbled with one hand in his pocket to find his keys. By the time they got into his apartment, Dex had already removed his jacket and was unbuttoning his shirt. " _Whoa_..."

"What?" Dex, who had been delightfully forward since dinner, suddenly reverted back to his defensive state from the beginning of the night. What was that 'whoa' for? Was there something wrong? "Is it my freckles, or--"

"I thought you were thinner, but--"

"Excuse me?" Dex began buttoning up his shirt, maybe this night was a mistake after all.

"Wait, no! Wait!" Nursey grabbed his wrist. "That came out wrong. I didn't expect that you would be so _built_. I meant it as a compliment." He let go of Dex's wrist and his hand slid down the redhead's firm chest and abs. "And I totally dig the freckles." They started kissed again and began stripping off each other's shirts all the way to Nursey's bedroom.

 

When Nursey woke up after 2:00am, Dex was long gone. "Shit! No..." He checked his apartment to be sure, but there was no trace of the other man, not even a note. He had blown it. The last time he remembered looking at the clock had been around 11:15pm, when had he fallen asleep? He should not have had an entire bottle of wine during dinner.

Nursey sank into his bed and picked up his phone, hoping the internet could distract him. When the screen illuminated it opened on his contact screen. Could it be? He scrolled down through his contacts for only a second before he realized he had no idea which name he was looking for in the first place, if it was even there. "Crap..." He scrolled down slowly and an unusual name caught his eye. It couldn't be...

The name had one outgoing text sent from his phone, at 12:04am that night that simply read 'test.' The text was sent to a contact listed as "Cinderella". Nursey laughed, both with relief and amusement at the clever nickname, referencing their conversation from earlier in the night.

Derek: Did you make it home okay? Your bus didn't turn into a pumpkin, did it?  
Cinderella: Nice try, I took a cab.  
Cinderella: Did you have a good nap, Sleeping Beauty?  
Derek: I can't believe I fell asleep like that...  
Cinderella: It's fine. We had too much to drink anyway. I dozed for half an hour or so, too.  
Derek: So, I've got your number. Can I finally have your name?  
Cinderella: Pretty sure you're supposed to search the kingdom to find me again.  
Derek: Since when am I Prince Charming? Sleeping Beauty just had to lie there. No fair.  
Cinderella: lol fine. It's William.

Nursey quickly changed the contact information in his phone before sending his next text.

Derek: So, can we go out again sometime, William?  
CinderWilla: Sure. I'd like that.  
Derek: Great. Good night, Will.  
CinderWilla: Good night, Sleeping Beauty. 

**Author's Note:**

> Was that a little cameo from Eric Bittle as the server at the restaurant? You bet.


End file.
